Anyone finished Ford Class yet?

[TBLackey]

Was getting overwhelmed, so I caved and went into the editor to see how the scoring worked.

Seems the gist of the scenario is to do as much of your orders as you can. However, this will piss off the Russians and the Angolans, and you then have to swiftly and violently destroy the Nakhimov Battlegroup before it kills you.

Easier said than done, though. Anyone made a good go of it?

[TBLackey]

Having great fun with this scenario! The random seeding of unit starts is a great feature.

Got lucky in one start, quickly found the Russian SSN and destroyed it.

Which got me thinking - if I can kill a sub with plausible deniability, why stop there? If the enemy never sees the launch platform, I can kill a lot of other things as well.

So:

Taking a note from Top Gun Maverick, Tomahawks on the Lubango runways, grounding the Su-30s.
Poseidon with LRASM kills the Russian oiler with one shot, then fires the rest at the Luamba radar.
The two Angolan MPAs get blasted out of the sky by my Super Hornets.

The enemy never saw me do nothin', so I'm still not hostile with Russia/Angola. Also, they basically can't hurt me now.

Finally, a strike on KUG group with MALD-J, AARGM-ER, LRASM, SDB and multi-mission Tomahawks sinks all four combatants. Triumph!

Yes, I cheesed it. Gonna figure out a playthrough now with not firing on Angola/Russia until they shoot first...

[Primarchx]

Got it today. I'm running the first Osprey flight into the embassy now. Ran the RQ-180 over the city and spotted all the air defenses and sent a recon Hornet over Lubango. Have a planned TLAM and ARM strike on air defenses once the balloon goes up, but still waiting for a/c to prep. Not hitting first, waiting for the ROE to trigger. We'll see what happens...

[schweggy]

If you take the mortar detachment off the Newport as one of your embassy reinforcements, unload it, detach it from the embassy and allow it to "free roam" it can lay waste to many of the SAMs, armor, and infantry within range. Assuming it survives. I discovered this somewhat by accident during a playthrough. I noticed the range ring and what was within range and had a field day with it.

[TBLackey]

Only problem is, Ivan is now hostile....

[Primarchx]

Spoilers below...

I've 'finished' it to my satisfaction, though there were plenty of buggy event issues. However this scenario really puts the USN on the back foot - it's scattered and out of position, CV aircraft aren't ready for any significant action for the first several hours, you need to position reinforcements to a location dominated by a powerful IADS and there's a dangerous Russian SAG nearby. The RQ-180 provided is fantastic as it can detect all pertinent air defenses in Luanda and can easily remain undetected. The MQ-4C is useful for tracking the Russian SAG and IDing any ships in its zone.

The issue I had with the scattered situation is a unit vital to the success of the mission - the USNS Newport - can be way the hell in the middle of nowhere, with no escort and because it needs to close to MV-22B range, is easily detected by Angolan MPA. Worse, I found that it was often the closest unit to the Russian SAG! Once the balloon goes up, it's toast. Also, if your MV-22 happens to be in the vicinity of Luanda when the balloon goes up, it gets toasted by the strong Russian SAMs there.

I finally got a start that put the Newport closer to my CSG. Clandestinely downed any approaching Angolan MPAs and sniped coastal patrol vessels with MMTs. Launched a masked TLAM strike on the Luanda IADs with EW support that weakened it, then finished it off with a carrier strike using AARGMs, JSOWs, Stormbreakers and MALD-J. Managed to put a pair of Lightnings over the city as CAS cover, which came in handy when a bunch of MiGs showed up to bomb the embassy! Downed half of them with the F-35s and two others with intrepid Stinger shots from the embassy compound.

Pounded the Russian SAG with AARGMs, Stormbreakers and MALD-J, sending a couple to the bottom. Followed up more AARGMs, LRASM and MALD-J, ending their threat by the end of the day.

It's a very good premise and put together very well, though it obviously needed a bit more testing. Really hate scenarios where you need to wait 6 hours to use your carrier aircraft to any effect. I know there's a Lua solution to allowing a player to choose loadouts then rapidly ready a/c with those loads. I felt very pressured to initiate (clandestine) hostilities to keep my units from being discovered and subsequently destroyed once hostilities arose.

[TBLackey]

WEW! that was a blast.

I chose the Commando Solo ops, and maximum F-35s on the Ford.

With my start spawn, Newport was close enough to send in the Osprey. Loaded it up with x2 Snipers, x2 MANPADS, and the mortar team. The Embassy marines don't need more rifles, they need bigger weapons. After this single insertion, and with the danger the Nakhimov poses, I made a judgement to withdraw Newport southwest to the oiler station, where John Lewis is enroute to. Embassy will have to make do with what I sent them.

Ford group heads in to the 350nm mark to 'tick that box' with 2nd Fleet. Upon acknowledgement, I exercise my judgement as commander in the field to immediately head due west , out beyond the MPA surveillance track.

The other two DDG and the sub stay put. They'll just get in the way.

Triton monitors the Russian group, Poseidon goes looking for more surface contacts, eventually finding the Sadin and the Russian oiler. When the other Triton is available, it goes to shadow the oiler. I send one DDG to within Harpoon distance of the oiler, matching it's speed and heading.

Ford does get spotted by the MPAs, irritating the Russians. But I keep moving west, so the Russians don't get a lasting firing solution.

Then I....wait. Let the psy ops do the job of irritating Angola and Russia. Gradually their irritation builds up. When Russia demands a summit with POTUS - now is the time to extremely irritate them. Sent a team (MPs? does the Navy have MPs?) on an Osprey from Ford to commandeer the Sadin. Apparently this is legal or some shit. Anyway, this is done within range of the Russian battlegroup, who go apeshit.

Miraculously, the Osprey pilot dodges all the Russian SAMs and heads home. The Russians also sink the Sadin - I guess if they can't have it, no one can! They fire all their Zircons at the last known position of the Ford - but I'm long gone.

Now for the retaliation - DDG Harpoons the oiler + BOL launch of x46 Tomahawks over the Russian group (command said I could use 72, so I'm under budget), simultaneously arriving with MALD-J, AARGM-ER, AARGM, JSOW-BROACH and LRASM from the Ford. The Russian group gets obliterated within 45 minutes after the Sadid was boarded. POTUS now has some bragging to do at the summit with the Russian president.

triumph.png (20.08 KiB) Viewed 1901 times

SIDE: USN
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
3x Building (Guard post)
2x Vehicle (Truck, HMMWV)
4x Infantry Section [7.62mm MG/Unguided Infantry Anti Tank Weapon]
1x Forward Observer + Sensor Tripod (NVG + Generic Laser Designator)
1x Sniper Section [12.7mm Anti-Materiel Rifle]


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
75x AN/SSQ-62E DICASS
99x AN/SSQ-53F DIFAR
22x AN/SSQ-77B VLAD
84x 7.62mm MG Burst [20 rnds]
2x Mk54 LHT Mod 0
52x 81mm HE Mortar
7x 12.7mm Anti-Materiel Rifle Volley [5 rnds]
46x RGM-109E Tomahawk Blk IV TACTOM
4x RGM-84G Harpoon ICR
16x ADM-160C MALD-J [Stand-In OECM]
32x AGM-158C LRASM
24x AGM-88G AARGM-ER
72x AGM-154C-1 JSOW [BROACH]
2x FIM-92C Stinger RMP
2x FIM-92E Stinger RMP Blk I



SIDE: Angola
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
8x Infantry Section [7.62mm MG/Unguided Infantry Anti Tank Weapon]
2x A-29A Super Tucano [EMB-314]
1x Radar (Tin Shield A [5N59])


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
219x 73mm 2A28 Grom HE
7x 7.62mm MG Burst [20 rnds]
14x HYDRA 70mm Rocket



SIDE: Russia
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
1x PLA-885M Severodvinsk [Yasen-M]
1x VTR Academician Pashin [Pr.23130]
3x Ka-27M Helix A
1x RKR Marshal Ustinov [Pr.1164 Atlant]
1x SKR Admiral Sergey Gorshkov [Pr.2235.0]
1x RKR Admiral Nakhimov [Pr.1144.2M Orlan, Ex-Kalinin]
1x EM Sovremenny I [Pr.956A Sarych]


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
206x RGB-16MK [Search, Passive Omni]
8x Generic Acoustic Decoy
16x SS-N-33 [3M22 Zircon]
96x SA-N-20b Gargoyle [48N6M]
32x SA-N-21d Growler [9M96D]
64x SA-N-6a Grumble [5R55RM]
9x SS-N-26 Strobile [P-800 Onyx]
5x SS-N-22M Sunburn [P-270 Moskit]
42x SA-N-7 Gadfly [9M38]
32x SA-N-4b Gecko [9M33M3]
23x SA-N-11b Grisom [9M311K-1]
12x AK-630M 30mm/65 Gatling Burst [400 rnds]
11x AK-130 130mm/54 Twin Frag Burst [2 rnds]
4x SA-N-22 Greyhound [57E6]
6x 30mm Twin Gatling Gsh-6-30KD [375 rnds]
6x 130mm/54 A-192 Frag
29x PK-10 Flare [SO-50]
2x SA-22 Greyhound ER [57E6]



SIDE: NATO
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
1x Commercial Tanker - Large Range 1 [75,000t DWT]
1x C-27J Spartan


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
204x 81mm HE Mortar
48x 25mm DRAGAR Burst [10 rnds]



SIDE: FNLA
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------
40x Infantry Section [7.62mm MG/Unguided Infantry Anti Tank Weapon]
5x Vehicle (Truck, Armed Technical)
4x Vehicle (Truck, Armed Technical)


EXPENDITURES:
------------------
100x Generic Unguided Anti Tank Weapon
123x 7.62mm MG Burst [20 rnds]



SIDE: Biologic
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------


EXPENDITURES:
------------------



SIDE: Neutral
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------


EXPENDITURES:
------------------



SIDE: Russian Merchant
===========================================================

LOSSES:
-------------------------------


EXPENDITURES:
------------------

[SchDerGrosse]

The mission is certainly a step towards the right direction, however I felt that it was waay too easy.

I just torpedoed the entire Russian combat group with the USS Mississipi without them having any chance.

After that the few Angolan SU-30s posed virtually no threath to the F-35s.

[Gryper]

I'd like to see a video of someone playing this through. I am somewhat new to this game and have no idea what I am doing. I know basic things like mission creation and movement, etc, but as far as what I need to do tactically with all these units, I am lost. For any of these missions. How do you run a carrier battle group exactly? How often are planes launched and how many? Is there always aircraft on CAP 24-7? Is there also always an SAR aircraft aloft? Do aircraft carriers ever stop moving at sea or in hostile areas or always on the move? How are cruisers and destroyers used in various mission configurations? And subs? Where do you find this type of information? Anything concerning naval tactics such as carrier battle group tactical procedures and ops are non-existent. Not even for WW2 can I really find anything. It is not as readily available as are say Army field manuals. I have tons of questions concerning this in order to play this game/war sim properly. And I wasn't in the navy, but army infantry.

Thanks.

[TBLackey]

Showcase Ford is a pretty complex scenario. If you are a beginner, play the simpler scenarios, starting with the tutorials first.

CMO is very much a learn by doing pastime, many of your questions will be answered by staring small and working your way up.

[tylerblakebrandon]

Where do you find this type of information? Anything concerning naval tactics such as carrier battle group tactical procedures and ops are non-existent. Not even for WW2 can I really find anything.
Thanks.

A standard recommendation is Wayne Hughes"Fleet Tactics"

https://www.amazon.com/Fleet-Tactics-Na ... 4368&psc=1

For WWII carrier Ops try "How Carriers Fought"

https://www.amazon.com/How-Carriers-Fou ... 291&sr=1-1

[Knightpawn]

I am a late entrant to CMO and just finished Showcase Ford for first time. I tried to approach it as if it was a real situation and it seem quite easy. I got a triumph score

1. I followed orders and did not initiate any hostilities
2. I focused on moving Marines to the embassy. At least three deliveries. This required to set up drone tankers for refueling the Osprey during its return trip
3. I commandeered the Russian tanker when I had the opportunity and I initiated the Psy Ops early
4. I stayed all the time away from the Russian task force denying detection
5. I discovered the Russian Sub, and moved away from it, as no hostilities have erupted at the time
6. four hours before the end the Angolans decided that the US was the enemy and the Russians initiated missile attacks on the US task force from a distance of 120 miles away. In the next hour all four Russian ships where sunk after I send waves of anti radar missiles, a large wave of decoys to deplete defenses and two waves (one of all any ship Tomahawks) and another one with payloads launched from A/Cs [/list]

I never fired against Angolan forces. I order not to get bored I sent a couple of F18s with CBUs against the rogues forces that threated the embassy.